Camp life is a Lorelei. The firearms season that beckons the migration of deer hunters to camp destinations across Michigan is a unique phenomenon.

The camaraderie among camp members is like no other - if only for a short time. Those who gather each year for the season opener (Nov. 15-30) may not see each other during the calendar year; but when deer season rolls around everyone comes together as camp members to catch up.

In most cases, the “catching up” revolves around talk of food plots for deer and “what’s for dinner” and “grab me a beer” for hunters.

Let’s be honest here. Oh, the prospects of bringing home a white-tailed buck salivates the glands for every hunter.

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Last week was especially sweet for four family camps in and around Rudyard - located some 30 miles north of the Mackinac Bridge with the spectacular Hiawatha National Forest and Pine River serving as a backdrop.

At Camp Copenhagen, Steve Augustson, 42, of New Baltimore, bagged a beautiful 6-pointer at 12:40 p.m. on opening day on about 300 acres of private property.

Using a .300 Mag Winchester, Augustson, was in a ground blind when he whacked the buck from about 130 yards.

“I watched a doe for a while and then the buck came in,” said Augustson, noting it was his first buck since 2004.

At Camp Koma, Greg Kokko, 49, of West Bloomfield, killed a nice 4-pointer on private property not too far away from Augustson’s land.

Kokko used a .450 Marlin out of his ground stand blind at about 50 yards to fell the buck.

“I grew up here on this property,” Kokko said, noting it was the second buck he’s harvested during a lifetime of hunting. “It was a good hunt.”

At Camp Half Peeled, Bob Malaski of Rudyard killed his first buck ever after 40 years in the field. Malaski was hunting on private land not too far away from both Camp Koma and Camp Copenhagen when he scored a 6-point whitetail on the second day of the season.

“There’s more pressure from everyone else for me to shoot one, that’s why I got it,” Malaski said. “I didn’t see anything bigger before that, but everyone said ‘you need to shoot one.’ It feels good.”

And at Camp Finnyard, my family camp, located west of Rudyard on the east branch of the Pine River, no bucks were hanging after the first couple days of camp. But Finnyard was jumping like never before.

Brother Jim from Bloomfield Hills – the camp planner - was excited beyond words about the new extra room and bathroom addition to camp this year, as well as the remodeling of the camp sauna – which burned down last season when the stove pipe caught on fire.

The camp food plots were holding an 8-point and a 10-point before the season started, and with seven hunters in blinds it is surely going to be a good season for campers.

I spent the first two days in an elevated blind near a county road. I scored a 4-point buck eight years ago from this very blind, and there is always good white-tail traffic here - but nothing on this opening day.

Also hunting on opening day at Camp Finnyard was nephew Jeff (No Lead) from Commerce Township - a serious hunter; Mike (King Crown) from Ortonville, who has never taken a shot at Finnyard but has many fine bucks to his credit; Dave (Shooter) from Ann Arbor area, who scored a 4-pointer last season; Mark (Bullet) from Brighton area, who is the camp comedian; and Bill (Billy) from Romeo, who is a working machine around camp.

Four hunting camps in Rudyard enjoyed the fruits of what it’s like to be part of an exclusive club for people who love the outdoors, deer hunting, food and beer.

Upcoming seminars at Sportsmen’s Direct

It’s been a busy year for Sportsmen’s Direct in Harrison Township located at 36072 Jefferson Ave. “We’ve been very busy and are going full steam ahead for this winter, said John Bacarella of Sportsmen’s Direct.

Starting next month, Sportsmen’s Direct will have a Black Ice Friday Sale on Dec. 7, 14 and 21.

“We’ll have a few big names stopping by to do seminars,” Bacarella said.

“We anticipate more big names stopping in during the winter,” Bacarella said, noting his retail business is selling the Ice Hopper line. “We have expended into private label rods, reels, rod building supplies, lures, including our Heavy Metal Tungsten line up.”

For more information, call Sportsmen’s Direct at (586) 741-6052 or visit www.sportsmensdirect.com.

Southeast Michigan Bowhunter Chapter Christmas Party

The Southeast Michigan Bowhunter Chapter Christmas Party will be held Friday, Dec. 7, at Sterling Heights Best Western Inn.

Doors open at 6 p.m. with dinner served at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 per adult; $10 ages 13-17; and free to kids 12 and under. A gift will be given to every child 12 and under, plus free gift drawings for adults.

Organizers urge attendees to bring an unwrapped toy for “Toys for Tots” and you will receive $10 off the cost of a ticket. Or bring in canned goods valued at $10 for the Sportsmen Against Hunger program.

For more information and to register kids so they get a gift, call (586) 864-2461.

Record breaking number of Sandhill Cranes observed

History was made Nov. 19 at Michigan Audubon’s Phyllis Haehnle Memorial Sanctuary in Jackson County when 8,177 Greater Sandhill Cranes were counted - breaking the previous record of 7,483 set last year.

Mallory King of Michigan Audubon said the numbers are promising for crane conservation in Michigan considering they were nearly “extirpated by the turn of the last century due to market hunting and habitat loss.”

King said Sandhill Cranes, although experiencing a remarkable comeback, still face challenges such as habitat degradation, an increase in some natural predators and low reproduction rates.

“But the birds are survivalists, learning to cope with the changing environment and evading predators such as coyotes, bobcats, raccoons and even modern man,” King said.

Want to take a road trip? Check out the Phyllis Haehnle Memorial Sanctuary located at 9066 Seymour Road in Pleasant Lake. For directions and more information, visit www.michiganaudubon.org.